Amateur-built KR-2 accident near Moreno Valley, California, December 18, 1999
On December 18, 1999 at about 8:10 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N77KR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moreno Valley, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An undetected fuel leak from an improperly manufactured right tank into the internal wing spaces, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1999 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Moreno Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N77KR · registry record · serial 6271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion after 4 hours of flight. During the forced landing, the aircraft impacted a tree, a building, and a parked car. During recovery, the wings were removed from the airplane and tipped to drain the remaining fuel. Approximately 1/2 quart of fuel was drained from the left wing tank, and about 10 tablespoons were drained from the right wing tank. The purolator/filter contained only droplets of fuel. The pilot reported that following recovery of the wreckage, he discovered a leak in the composite fuel tank. Fuel was soaking into the foam backing. He estimated that 8 to 10 gallons of fuel were lost during the 4-hour flight. The pilot said the accident could have been prevented by paying more attention to the fuel tank construction during manufacture of the wing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 176 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1999; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,169 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 2180 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 4:15 pm
- Destination: RAL Riverside CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from RAL, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.